Method and apparatus for building construction



25, 1966 MING-YANG CHANG 3,231,644

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug- 19, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Min yer/2y C HA N G AITORNEYS Jan. 25, 1966 MING-YANGCHANG 3,231,644

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 2 22 Min a 70/17 (HA/VG ATTORNEYS 25, 1955 MING-YANG CHANG3,231,644

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Miny-yany (HA/V6 W ATTORNE Y5 United States Patent3,231,644 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CQNSTRUCTEON Ming-YangChang, Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada, 3420 University St.,Montreal 2, Quebec,

Canada Filed Aug. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 303,094 Claims. (Cl. 26434) Thisinvention relates to improvements in the construction of buildings.

Applicants co-pending US. application Serial No. 239,- 557 of November23, 1962, discloses a method of making a building structure through theuse of a double layer mold with an inner inflatable chamber, said moldbeing manufactured from flexible and substantially inextensible .fabricand forming, after inflation of the chamber, the confines of thebuilding structure. According to that method a premixed material isintroduced between the layers of the inflated mold and is allowed tocure or set therein to produce the desired solid structure.

Such a method is, of course, perfectly applicable to semi-spherical,semiacylindrical or generally curved structures, since the inflation ofthe double-layer mold invariably results in a curved shape. This,however, makes it impossible to form conventional buildings with flatceilings and straight walls and thus limits considerably the field ofapplication of said method.

It has now been found that it is possible to overcome the abovementioned inconvenience while maintaining the advantages obtainedthrough the use of double-layer molds.

According to the new process, as hereinafter disclosed, there isprovided a supporting, single-layer, membrane of a semi-spherical,semi-cylindrical or generally curved shape and consisting of flexibleand substantially inextensible, air-tight fabric. This membrane isadapted to be inflated and to support double-layer molding jackets whichconstitute different parts of the building (such as walls, ceiling,etc.) and which are attached to said membrane by their appropriateedges. In turn, the molding jackets are filled with a premixed materialwhich sets therein and [forms a solid building structure with straightwalls and a fl at ceiling, as it is usually required in the buildingindustry.

The supporting membrane itself is attached by its lower edge to a solidor solidifyable base which may also be ultimately used as the floor forthe building.

The supporting membrane and the molding jackets forming different partsof the building are usually manufactured and appropriately assembled orconnected to each other in a factory; then, they are transported to achosen site where the base is solidified (if it is not solid to beginwith), the membrane is inflated and the molding jackets are filled withadequate premixed materials.

During the manufacture of such a molding combination it is desirable toprovide the eventual walls of the building with doors and windows bycutting them out in the molding jackets and by sealing the thus openededges of the double layer structure. It is equally preferable topre-equi-p these molding combinations with proper wiring and pipingsystems so that when the building is ultimately erected on a chosensite, it would be complete with all required facilities.

As will be described hereinafter, multi-storey buildings can also beconstructed in this manner.

Summarizing, the basic concept of the novel process is a provision of aflexible single-layer membrane which can be inflated and onto which thedouble-layer molding jacket structure, constituting the walls and theceiling of the eventual building, is appro riately connected for supportthereby. Therefore, when the membrane is inflated producing a curvedenvelope, its shape does not affeet that of the molding jacket structureof the walls and ceiling thus permitting a formation of a buiding ofsquare or rectangular shape. After erection of such a building thesupporting membrane is removed and discarded or reused for similarpurposes.

It is therefore a principal object of the instant invention to provide aprocess and a flexible or semi-flexible molding combination for erectingbuildings with conventional shapes (i.e., straight Walls and flatceilings).

Another object of the invention is to provide an entirely pre-equippedmolding combination which can be used to erect a building with allmodern facilities.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process and a moldingcombination for the erection of multi-storey buildings in a simple andexceptionally economical manner.

These and further objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a one-storey building according to thepresent invention in combination with the supporting membrane;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the building shown in FIG. 1, partly broken awayand partly in section to show internal structure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a two-storey building according to theinvention with the roof shown exploded;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the building shown in FIG. 4, partly broken awayand partly in section to show internal structure;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the building shown in FIG. 4, also partlybroken away and partly in section to show internal structure;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section view of an upper corner of a buildingaccording to the instant invention showing internal fabric structure ofthe molding jacket as well as the attachment of wall to ceiling and ofboth to the supporting membrane;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section view of a construction at the top of apre-fabrioated door or window in a building according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section view of an upper corner of a buildingaccording to the instant invention showing internal (fabric structure ofthe molding jacket as well as the attachment of .wall to a curved roof;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged section view of an attachment of Wall to base ina building according to the instant invention, also showing the internalfabric structure of both;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged section view of an inter-floor structure in amulti-storey building according to the instant invention, also showingthree fixing corks used to permit better adherence of the premixedmaterial within the molding jacket; and

FIG. 12 is an enlanged section view of a reinforcing beam attached to aceiling in a building of the instant invention.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by likereference numerals.

It should first of all be understood that the invention comprises twodistinct stages carried out separately rfrom one another and consistingin (1) manufacturing a molding combination for a building and (2) usingsaid combination on a selected site for constructing the buildmg.

Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 1 to 3 which show asingle-storey building structure, the molding combination in thisparticular case is manufactured by producing a curve-shaped, singlelayer, membrane or envelope 1, made of flexible and substantiallyinextensible air-tight fabric, and attaching it by its bottom open edgesto a base 2. The membrane or envelope 1 is preferably made oftransparent plastic sheets or impregnated cloth and the base 2 caneither be solid or can preferably consist of a flexible double layermolding jacket structure the two layers of which are connected by aplurality of strings or strips, said structure being adapted to receivesuitable premixed materials, such as concrete, which would set andsolidify therein.

Within the space defined by the membrane or envelope 1 and the base 2there is provided a plurality of separate double layer molding jacketsconstituting vertical walls and at least one horizontal ceiling of theultimate building, which molding jackets are appropriately connectedboth to the envelope and the base. Thus, the walls of the building 3 andthe ceiling 4 are made of a plurality of isolated double-layer moldingjacket structures the layers of which consist of flexible andsubstantially inextensible fabric and are interconnected with aplurality of strings. The walls 3 are attached with their bottom ends tothe base 2 and with their upper edges to the ceiling 4 and/ or thesupporting envelope 1. Additional solid and appropriately curvedextensions 5 may also be provided for adequate attachment of the ceilingto the said envelope, particularly when the resulting building is tohave an elongated shape.

It is furthermore preferable to cut out Windows 6 and doors 7 at thestage of the manufacture of the molding combination and to seal the cutedges as well as to provide them with necessary frame-work as shown at19. Such doors and windows are then usually closed with an impermeablemembrane 20 so as not to disturb the pressure distribution in differentcompartments of the combination at the time of the construction of thebuilding.

During the manufacture of the molding combination it is of coursedesirable to provide the eventual building not only with doors andwindows but equally with inside partitions such as wall 3a, as well aswith other commodities as electrical wiring, piping, etc. These can beincorporated into said combination with relative ease.

A tightly closable door 8 may be included in the supporting envelope forthe purpose of on site inspection and repairs.

The walls 3 and ceiling 4, together with the extensions 5, are soattached to the supporting envelope (for instance as shown at 18) as toform two compartments 15 and 16 separated from one another in anairtight manner. Other such compartments, such as 15a, may be confinedby walls, ceiling and different partitions of the building inside saidenvelope. Finally, it should be noted that the thus formed flexible orsemi-flexible molding combination is fitted with appropriate inlet andvalve means for the introduction of compressed air into differentcompartments formed inside the envelope and for injection of pre-mixedmaterials into the molding jackets constituting the base, the walls, theceiling, the partitions as well as other fixtures of the ultimatebuilding. These inlet and valve means are represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 bytubes 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The expression semi-flexible molding combination has been used above toindicate that in case when the base 2 i solid to begin with, theresulting mold will not be entirely flexible. Also, the frame-workemployed for doors and windows, the extensions 5, whenever used, as wellas piping and other similar fixtures usually consist of solidnon-flexible material. Nevertheless, after its completion and especiallywhen the base 2 is flexible, the obtained molding combination can easilybe folded into a relatively compact package and transported to the placewhere the building is to be erected.

The second stage of the invention, namely the construction of thebuilding on a selected site, is commenced by firmly fixing the base 2 tothe ground, if it is solid, or by injecting a premixed material, such asconcrete, through a conduit such as 9 between the two layers of saidbase, if the latter is formed of a. flexible doublelayer jacketstructure, and allowing said material to solidify. It is, of course,understandable that whenever the base 2 is solid to begin with it cannotbe made of a very heavy material that would be prohibitive as regardsthe transportation of the molding combination and, such solid base,would therefore have to be firmly attached to the ground on the selectedsite by mechanical means. On the other hand, when the base consists of aflexible double layer jacket, the latter can be filled with heavypremixed material, such as concrete, and no further attachment to theground would usually be required in such circumstances.

The following step would be to inflate the compartments such as 15, 15aand 16, within the membrane or envelope 1, with compressed air throughconduits 10, 11 and 12 until the walls of the building are risen totheir vertical position. It should be noted that these walls can only bestraight when a same pressure prevails in both compartments 15 and 15a.This can be easily accomplished by inflating these compartments from thesame source of compressed air or, in simpler constructions, by leavingthe prefabricated doors and windows open.

When the walls 3 and the partitions 3a (whenever they are present) areso erected, a premixed material is injected into each of said Wallthrough inlets 13 and is allowed to set or cure therein until solid.After solidification of the Walls, a premixed material is injectedthrough the inlet 14 into the ceiling 4 and the pressures incompartments 15a and 16 are so adjusted as to obtain a flat horizontalceiling. The required pressures for the respective space are easilycalculated and can also be applied in advance. Thus, if P is thepressure in compartment 15a and W the Weight of the premixed materialinjected in the ceiling per unit area, in order to produce a flatceiling the pressure P in the space 16 would have to be:

all quantities of the equation being expressed in same units.

It is, of course, obvious that if any adjustments in the pressures incompartments 15a and 16 are to be made to produce a flat ceiling, theymust be carried out before solidification of the premixed material insaid ceiling.

When the ceiling 4 has been solidified, all the compartments (15, 15aand 16) within the envelope 1 are deflated and the envelope along withthe tubing 9 to 14 is removed. The solid extensions 5 can also beremoved or they can be maintained and used in the construction of aroof. The base 2 can be left intact or it may be somewhat modified fordecorative purposes. To complete the operation, regular doors andwindows are hinged onto the provided framing after removal of membranes20.

In the case of the construction of two or multi-storey buildings,reference is made to FIGS. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings whichillustrate this additional embodiment of the invention.

Here again the molding combination is manufactured and assembled in afactory with all necessary partitions and fixtures, then it is foldedinto a relatively compact package and transported to the selected site.

During the manufacture of said. molding combination for multi-storeybuildings it has been found useful to connect the vertical edges of thewalls to the supporting membrane or envelope 1 so as to form fourseparate spaces 15. This facilitates a regular distribution of weight tobe supported by the envelope, but also produce the requirement that eachof said spaces be inflated through a separate conduit 10. The compressedair may, however, come from a same source for all compartments as wellas for other compartments where the same pressure should be maintained.

In such multi-storey structures all prefabricated door and windowapertures should be closed by an impermeable membrane such as 20 so thateach storey forms a separate air tight compartment. Also, the walls ofeach storey consist of separate double-layer molding jackets similar tothose used in a single-storey building.

The inter-storey division 29, which forms the ceiling for the firststorey of the building and the floor for the second storey, can bereinforced with beams 32 which can also be prefabricated and be made ofthe same type of double layer jacket structure as the walls, floors andceilings. This division 29 can be attached to the walls 3b and 30 asshown at 25.

If desired, a dome-like roof 23 can the easily made on such buildings byconnecting to the upper part of the membrane 1 an additional jacketedstructure which, subsequently, at the appropriate stage of theoperation, is injected with a suitable premixed material through aconduit 24 and allowed to solidify.

The construction of a two-storey building as represented in FIGS. 4 to6, is carried out by first injecting into the base 2 a premixedmaterial, such as concrete, and allowing it to set or cure untilperfectly solid. Then, the building structure is raised to its erectedposition by inflating with compressed air all compartments within theenvelope 1 through inlets 10, 12 and 12a. A same pressure should, atfirst, be maintained in all these separate compartments.

As the next step, vertical walls 3b (including any partition walls) ofthe lower storey of the building are injected with premixed materialthrough inlets 13 and are allowed to solidify. Next, walls 3c of theupper storey are made solid in the same manner. Then, concrete isinjected into the horizontal inter-storey partition 29 through inlet 22and allowed to set or cure therein. Care must be taken during thisoperation to adjust the pressures in the lower and upper storey spacesso as to make said partition 29 as flat and as horizontal as possible.After this operation, beams 32 which are attached to the partition 29,as shown at 27, may be filled with premixed material through inlets 21and permitted to solidify.

The ceiling of the second storey compartment, which is not shown inFIGS. 4 to 6, is made in the similar manner as that of the one storeybuilding of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Tubes 21 and 22 are usually passed through window membranes 20 taking,however, a precaution to seal them with said membrane in an air-tightmanner.

It would also be possible to somewhat alter this operating procedure andto solidify, for instance, dividing floor 29 before walls 30, as well asto carry out certain other changes evident to those familiar with theart.

FIGS. 7 to 12 show enlargements of different structural features usedaccording to the instant invention.

Thus, in FIG. 7 it is shown that ceiling 4 and wall 3 are each formed oftwo layers interconnected by strings or strips 30. Both the layers andthe strings or strips are made of flexible and substantiallyinextensible material. Wall 3 is cemented or glued by its top edge tothe bottom layer of ceiling 4 and the two are attached by means of strip29 to the supporting membrane or envelope 1. It is also desirable to useseveral fixing corks 31 at the intersection of attachment of wall 3 toceiling 4. These corks are made of suitable solid fabric, such asplastic or wood, and greatly facilitate the adherence of premixedmaterials, such as concrete, to the places where they are provided.These corks may and preferably should be positioned in all places wheresuch adherence is difficult to achieve for one reason or another.

FIG. 8 shows a prefabricated window and framing assembly according tothe invention. Thus, after a cut has been made in the wall 3, the openedend is sealed at 37 and a frame 38 is fitted and firmly cemented ontothat end. Then, if it is necessary to tightly close the window by animpermeable membrane 20, the latter is connected by means of a member 35and plastic strips 34 to the frame 33. Other similar ways may, ofcourse, be used for this purpose.

FIG. 9 illustrates the construction of a dome shaped or semi-cylindricalroof on a building according to the instant invention, as shown at 26 inFIG. 6. Such roof can be made by simply connecting to the outside and atthe upper end of the supporting envelope 1 a second layer 23 and byinterconnecting the two layers by strings or strips 30. Fixing corks 31can also be used at appropriate places. The premixed material used forthe roof should be somewhat lighter than that employed for other partsof the building.

FIG. 10 exemplifies the attachment of wall 3 to base 2 as shown at 17 inFIG. 3. Fixing corks 31 may equally be positioned at these places. Theattachment itself is usually effected by gluing or cementing.

In FIG. 11 there is shown an embodiment whereby a three-way connectionin a multi-storey building (as at 25 in FIG. 6) can be made. Thus,preferably, the lower wall 312 should be of a greater thickness than theupper wall 30 and the inter-fioor structure 29 can be connected to theupper Wall 3c While shouldering the horizontal edge of wall 312 thatextends towards the inside of the building. A number of fixing corks 31can also be provided to facilitate the adherence of the injectedmaterial in these places. A membrane 33 may be used to cover the partsof the fixing corks 31 which extend to the outside and this membrane canbe of any suitable material and can be properly positioned either beforeor after erecting the building. The membrane 33 may also extend over theentire length of the edges produced by the walls and the ceiling and thespace defined thereby may then be injected with a premixed material toform, after solidification of the latter, a reinforcing structure forthe ceiling.

Finally, FIG. 12 illustrates the attachment of a reinforcing beam 32 tothe inter-floor partition 29 as shown at 27 in FIG. 6. The beam haspreferably the same jacketed structure, with strings or strips 30, asthe walls and floors and concrete or other suitable premixed material isthus injected at the appropriate stage of the construction into suchibeam through a conduit 21. It is also of interest to use fixing corks31 at the place of contact of said beams with the bottom layer of theinterfloor structure 29.

In summary, this invention provides a simplified and more economical wayof constructing buildings. The molding combination can be made infactories in a relatively simple way. Usually each wall, floor, ceilingas well as other fixtures of the building are made of separate doublelayer flexible and substantially inextensible molding jackets and arethen appropriately interconnected. The entire structure is then attachedto a base and to a supporting membrane or envelope which can be inflatedto erect and support said structure. Such relatively flexible moldingcombination is easily folded into a compact pack age thus facilitatingits transportation to a selected site.

The construction of the building according to the invention is generallydone by two alternatively applicable procedures, namely inflation andinjection. The vertical parts of the building are injected with premixedmaterials and are allowed to solidify under isobaric pressure, while thehorizontal parts are injected and allowed to solidify under differentialpressures in the respective compartments. Materials such as concrete,curable plastics or resins are particularly suitable.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific embodiments described above and illustrated in the appendeddrawings but that different modifications and equivalent proceduresevident to those skilled in the art may be applied without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A substantially flexible molding combination applicable forconstruction of bulidings comprising: a supporting membrane made of alayer of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric; a base; saidmembrane being connected to said base by its lower edges and beingadapted to be inflated to define a desired curved space; a plurality ofseparate double layer molding jackets constituting vertical walls and atleast one horizontal ceiling of the building positioned within saidspace, each of said molding jackets being made of two layers of flexibleand substantially inextensible fabric interconnected with a plurality ofstrings; the vertical walls being appropriately attached to one anotherand being connected with their bottom ends to the base and with theirtop ends to the ceiling and the obtained upper edges being tightlyattached to the supporting membrane for producing within the spacedefined thereby an air tight compartment delimited by the ceiling andthe membrane above said ceiling and at least one other air tightcompartment below said ceiling; and tube and valve means between eachcompartment in the space defined by said membrane and the outsideatmosphere and between the molding jackets and the outside atmosphere,respectively, being provided for inflating and deflating saidcompartments and for injecting into said molding jackets a premixedmaterial capable of solidifying therein.

2. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 1,wherein the base consists of a solid piece of material.

3. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 1,wherein the base consists of a double layer molding jacket the twolayers of which are made of flexible and substantially inextensiblematerial and are interconnected with a plurality of strings, said jacketbeing adapted to receive premixed materials capable of curing therein.

4. A substantially flexible molding combination as claim-ed in claim 1,in which the molding jackets which constitute the walls are providedwith appropriate apertures which are sealed and framed at their edges soas to receive doors and windows after erection of the building and inwhich the apertures of the exterior walls of the building are tightlyclosed with an air impermeable membrane.

5. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 1,in which arcuate solid and uprightpositioned extensions are provided ontwo opposite sides of the ceiling for better attachment of the latter tothe curved supporting membrane.

6. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 1,in which a roof having the same configuration as that of the top of thesupporting membrane is provided by making the upper part of the saidmembrane in the form of a double layer jacket in which the layers areinterconnected by a plurality of strings and an inlet valve means beingconnected with said jacket for injection thereinto of a premixedmaterial capable of solidifying therein.

7. A substantially flexible molding combination applicable for theconstruction of multi-storey buildings in which the first storey is thelowermost and the last storey is the uppermost, comprising: a supportingmembrane made of a layer of flexible and substantially inextensiblefabric; a base; said membrane being connected to said base by its loweredges and being adapted to be inflated to define a desired curved space;a plurality of separate double layer molding jackets positioned withinsaid space and constituting vertical outer and inner walls of thebuilding and horizontal inter-storey partitions serving as a ceiling forone storey and as a floor for the storey immediately above as well ashorizontal ceiling at the to of the building, each of said moldingjackets being made of two layers of flexible and substantiallyinextensible fabric interconnected with a plurality of strings; theouter vertical walls of the building being appropriately attached to oneanother, the bottom ends of the walls of the first storey beingconnected to the base and the top ends of the walls of the last storeyto the ceiling; the obtained side edges between the vertical outer wallsand the obtained upper edges between said outer walls and the ceilingbeing tightly attached to the supporting membrane for producing withinthe spaces defined thereby air tight compartments, one of thesecompartments being delimited by the ceiling and the membrane above saidceiling and the other compartments being delimited by each outer wall ofthe building, the portion of the base which is outside of the bulidingand adjacent to said wall and the membrane on each side of the building;the outer vertical walls also being so connected with the base, theceiling and the inter-storey partitions as to produce air tightcompartments within each storey of the building; and tube and valvemeans between each air tight compartment and the outside atmosphere andbetween each molding jacket and the outside atmosphere, respectively,being provided for inflating and deflating said compartments and forinjecting into said molding jackets a premixed material capable ofsolidifying therein.

8. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 7,in which the inter-storey partitions are reinforced with beams made oftwo layer jacketed fabric capable of receiving solidifiable premixedmaterials.

9. A substantially flexible molding combination as claimed in claim 7,in which the double layer jackets forming each outer wall of thedifit'erent storeys are separate from one another and the jacket of onestorey is narrower than that of the storey immediately below.

10. A method of constructing a building comprising: forming asubstantially flexible molding combination having a supporting membranemade of a layer of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric, asolid base, said membrane being connected to said base by its loweredges and being adapted to be inflated to define a desirable curvedspace, a plurality of separate double layer jackets constitutingverticalwalls and at least one horizontal ceiling of the buildingpositioned within said space, each of said molding jackets being made oftwo layers of flexible and substantially inextensible fabricinterconnected with a plurality of strings, the vertical walls beingtightly attached to one another and being connected with their bottomends to the base and with their top ends to the ceiling and the obtainedupper edges being attached in an air tight manner to the supportingmembrane for producing within the space defined thereby an air tightcompartment delimited by the ceiling and the membrane above said ceilingand at least one other air tight compartment below said ceiling;inflating said compartments with compressed air to the point where thewalls and the ceiling, supported by said inflated membrane, are in theirrequired erect position; injecting into the molding jackets, forming thewalls, a premixed material capable of solidifying therein and allowingsaid material to solidify; injecting into the molding jacket forming theceiling a premixed material capable of solidifying therein and allowingsaid material to solidify while adjusting the air pressures between theupper and the lower compartments so as to obtain a substantially flathorizontal ceiling; exhausting the compressed air from the compartment;and removing the supporting membrane; whereby a solid building ofdesired form is obtained.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 in which the premixed material isselected from concrete, curable resins and curable plastics.

.12. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which the said base consists ofa double layer molding jacket the two layers of which are made offlexible and substantially inextensible material and are interconnectedwith a plulrality of strings, said base having been solidified byinjecting between said layers a premixed material capable of curingtherein and allowing said material to cure.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, for constructing a multi-storeybuilding in which each storey is made in the form of an air tightcompartment, comprising, after inflation of the compartments, injectinga premixed material into the molding jackets forming the first storeyWalls; allowing said material to solidify; injecting a premixed materialinto the ceiling of the first storey and allowing it to solidify withappropriate adjustment of the air pressures between the compartmentsseparated by said ceiling to render the latter as fiat as possible; andrepeating this procedure for each subsequent storey.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising reinforcing theinter-storey partitions by means of beams made of molding jackets offlexible and substantially inextensible fabrics and attached to saidpartitions, said beams being then injected with a premixed materialcapable of being cured therein and being allowed to solidify.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, for constructing a multi-storeybuilding in which each storey is made in the form of an air tightcompartment, comprising, after inflation of the compartments, injectinga premixed material into the molding jackets forming the vertical walls10 of the building, allowing said material to solidify; and injecting apremixed material into the ceilings and allowing it to solidify withappropriate adjustment of the air pressures between the compartmentsseparated by said ceilings to render the latter as flat as possible.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,010,472 8/1935Angel 135-1 2,659,110 11/1953 Carroll 135-1 XR 2,682,274 6/1954 Miller1351 2,812,769 11/1957 Schaefer et al. 264- XR 3,139,464 6/1964 Bird 61;al. 26432 FOREIGN PATENTS 237,933 2/ 1962 Australia. 664,596 6/ 1963Canada.

ROBERT F. WHITE, Primary Examiner.

ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Examiner.

1. A SUBSTANTIALLY FLEXIBLE MOLDING COMBINATION APPLICABLE FORCONSTRUCTION FOF BLUIDINGS COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING MEMBRANE MADE OF ALAYER OF FLEXIBLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE FABRIC; A BASE; SAIDMEMBRANE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID BASE BY ITS LOWER EDGES AND BEINGADAPTED TO BE INFLATED TO DEFINE A DESIRED CURVED SPACE; A PLURALITY OFSEPARATE DOUBLE LAYER MOLDING JACKETS CONSTITUTING VERTICAL WALLS AND ATLEAST ONE HORIZONTAL CEILING OF THE BUILDING POSITIONED WITHIN SAIDSPACE, EACH OF SAID MOLDING JACKETS BEING MEDE OF TWO LAYERS OF FLEXIBLEAND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE FABRIC INTERCONNECTED WITH A PLURALITY OFSTRINGS; THE VERTICAL WALLS BEING APPROPRIATELY ATTACHED TO ONE ANOTHERAND BEING CONNECTED WITH THEIR BOTTOM ENDS TO THE BASE AND WITH THEIRTOP ENDS TO THE CEILING AND THE OBTAINED UPPER EDGES BEING TIGHTLYATTACHED TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBRANE FOR PRODUCING WITHIN THE SPACEDEFINED THEREBY AN AIR TIGHT COMPARTMENT DELIMITED BY THE CEILING ANDTHE MEMBRANE ABOVE SAID CEILING AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER AIR TIGHTCOMPARTMENT BELOW SAID CEILING; AND TUBE AND VALVE MEANS BETWEEN EACHCOMPARTMENT IN THE DEFINED BY SAID MEMBRANE AND THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHEREAND BETWEEN THE MOLDING JACKETS AND OUTSIDE ATMOSPHERE, REPSECTIVELY,BEING PROVIDED FOR INFLATING AND DEFLATING SAID COMPARTMENTS AND FORINJECTING INTO SAID MOLDING JACKETS A PREMIXED MATERIAL CAPABLE OFSOLIDIFYING THEREIN.
 10. A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION A BUILING COMPRISINGFORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLEXIBLE MOLDING COMBINATION HAVING A SUPPORTINGMEMBRANE MADE OF A LAYER OF FLEXIBLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLEFABRIC, A SOLID BASE, SAID MEMBRANE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID BASE BY ITSLOWER EDGES AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE INFLATED TO DEFINE A DESIRABLECURVED SPACE, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE DOUBLE LAYER JACKETS CONSTITUTINGVERTICAL WALLS AND AT LEAST ONE HORIZONTAL CEILING OF THE BUILDINGPOSITIONED WITHIN SAID SPACE, EACH SAID MOLDING JACKETS MADE OF TWOLAYERS OF FLEXIBLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE FABRIC INTERCONNECTEDWITH A PLURALITY OF STRINGS, THE VERTICAL WALLS BEING TIGHTLY ATTACHEDTO ONE ANOTHER AND BEING CONNECTED WITH THEIR BOTTOM ENDS TO THE BASEAND WITH THEIR TOPS ENDS TO THE CEILING AND THE OBTAINED UPPER EDGESBEING ATTACHED IN AN AIR TIGHT MANNER TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBRAND FORPRODUCING WITHIN THE SPACE DEFINED THEREBY AN AIR TIGHT COMPARTMENTDELIMITED BY THE CEILING AND THE MEMBRANE ABOVE SAID CEILING AND ATLEAST ONE OTHER AIR TIGHT COMPARTMENT BELOW SAID CEILING; INFLATING SAIDCOMPARTMENTS WITH COMPRESSED AIR TO THE POINT WHERE THE WALLS AND THECEILING, SUPPORTED BY SAID INFLATED MEMBRANE, ARE IN THEIR REQUIREDERECT POSTION; INJECTING ITTO THE MOLDING JACKETS, FORMING THE WALLS, APREMIXED MATERIAL CAPABLE OF SOLIDIFYING THEREIN AND ALLOWING SAIDMATERIAL TO SOLIDIFY; INJECTING INTO THE MOLDING JACKET FORMING THECEILING A PREMIXING MATERIAL CAPABLE OF SOLIDIFYING THEREIN AND ALLOWINGSAID MATERIAL TO SOLIDIFY WHILE ADJUSTING THE AIR PRESSURES BETWEEN THEUPPER AND THE LOWER COMPARTMENTS SO AS TO OBTAIN A SUBSTANTIALLY FLATHORIZONTAL CEILING; EXHAUSTING THE COMPRESSED AIR FROM THE COMPARTAMENT;AND REMOVING THE SUPPORTING MEMBRANE; WHEREBY A SOLID BUILDING OFDESIRED FORM IS OBTAINED.